America West Airlines was one of the United States's ten major airlines. The airline was based in Phoenix, Arizona, and is now a part of US Airways Group.

At the time of its integration into US Airways, the airline maintained two hubs, one at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, and the other at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the second largest low-cost airline in the US. America West provided service to approximately 100 destinations in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Service to Europe was provided through code sharing arrangements.

As of March 2005, America West operated a fleet]] of 140 aircraft with its only maintenance base in Phoenix.

On May 19, 2005, America West Holdings Corporation announced it would acquire the Arlington County, Virginia based US Airways Group. The new entity is named US Airways Group and is headquartered in America West's former corporate offices. US Airways Group corporate offices in Virginia were shut down, and most US Airways management were laid off. America West CEO Doug Parker became CEO of the merged companies, and his management team remains in control. The merger was completed on September 27, 2005, and America West now operates under the old US Airways brand, which was felt to be more appropriate to the combined airline's nationwide route network. A merger of the two airlines' FAA operating certificates occurred on September 25, 2007 (the USAirways Certificate survived,) ending the 24-year history of America West Airlines.

Beginning January 2006, all America West flights were branded as US Airways, along with most signage at airports and any other printed material, though many flights were described as "operated by America West." Apart from two heritage aircraft, the only America West branding present on aircraft are on some seat covers, bulkheads, and flight attendant uniforms. However, the merged airline retained America West's callsign, "CACTUS".

see: US Airways

The early years

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One of the 1980s' greatest business success stories, the airline was established in February 1981 and started on August 1, 1983 using three leased Boeing 737 aircraft flying out of their base in Phoenix, Arizona with Ed Beauvais as CEO. At the start, passengers could buy tickets on board the aircraft.

The airline quickly expanded, with eleven 737's operating flights to 13 cities, and, by the end of 1983, developed a secondary hub in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 1984 America West grew to 21 aircraft operating flights into 23 cities.

America West was one of the first airlines to use extensive "cross-utilization", in which employees were trained in a variety of airline jobs, such as pilots trained in dispatch, and both baggage handlers and flight attendants being trained as gate agents. America West also started as a "full service" airline, in contrast with Southwest Airlines, the discount air carrier competing in many of the same markets. America West also utilized an aggressive employee stock ownership program, in which new employees were required to invest 20% of their salary in company stock, providing a steady flow of cash as the company grew.